Madeleine West calls on SA government to honour pre-election promise and establish sexual offenders register immediately

Bikies can’t have a beer at the pub but there’s nothing stopping 100 pedophiles going to a Wiggles concert, an SA lawyer warns as demand for a sex offender list grows.

• Sexual offenders named in one list

Up to 31 per cent of cases heard, every day, in SA’s main court involve allegations of child sexual abuse or offences – and advocates say the time has come for a publicly-accessible pedophile register.

Survivor, actor and mother Madeleine West has called upon the Malinauskas Government to honour its 2022 pre-election promise and establish the register before the next election.

Her push for change comes as The Advertiser publishes its second annual database of convicted child sexual offenders reported by its journalists – which represents only a fraction of all cases heard.

Statistics compiled by Websters Lawyers show, on average, almost 20 per cent of the District Court’s daily caseload is child abuse – some days reaching as high as 31 per cent.

Ms West – one of many children abused by serial pedophile Peter White – said the need for a register was not only urgent but, for her, “a personal issue”.

“In my case, some of the crimes of my abuser predate my own experience significantly, and some were in other states,” she said.

“Were there a statewide public register, which was connected to a national register, it would have prevented me from being abused.

“This call to arms is a personal issue, one which I will speak out about – and scream about from the top of my lungs – until we see it implemented.

“A register is the difference between a perpetrator being able to move freely within our society and being called to account for the crimes they have committed.”

Madeleine West has joined The Advertiser’s call for a publicly-accessible register of SA’s convicted sex offenders. Picture: Richard Dobson

Lawyer and survivors advocate Andrew Carpenter said the public had “a vested interest as to the geographical whereabouts of sexual offenders”.

“This government implemented anti-association laws that prevent bikies from having a beer at a pub, yet 100 pedophiles could legally attend and associate at a Wiggles concert,” he said.

“The government isn’t even close to being on their field to get anywhere near dropping the ball with child sexual abuse – they aren’t even in the same postcode as the field.

“By failing to implement a sexual offender registry the Labor government is effectively enabling monsters to walk amongst children undetected without the ability to be unmasked.”

A government spokeswoman said it “remains strongly committed” to a register and “continues to work toward delivering its promise … within this term”.

“The state government is investing $19 million over four years on developing and implementing a new SA Police digital police station,” she said.

“(That station) will host the public child sex offender register.

“Our government has listened to survivors of child sex abuse and their families, and we have implemented tough laws on the vile monsters who prey on our most vulnerable.”

Lawyer Andrew Carpenter says the state government has “enabled monsters” by failing to fulfil its pre-election promise. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

In March 2020, The Advertiser and victims’ advocates succeeded in an 18-year campaign to have alleged sexual offenders named once they had faced court for the first time.

While that means alleged offender’s names are publicly available on the courts website, no database exists listing the names of those convicted of crimes.

While WA makes publicly available the identities of those considered “high risk offenders”, no state has a pedophile register – nor does a national equivalent exist.

Since June last year, The Advertiser has provided a publicly-accessible database of all convicted child sexual offenders reported on by its journalists.

Ms West was the victim of aggravated sexual abuse perpetrated by White – then a beloved local plumber – from the age of five until she turned 10.

Last year White, 74, pleaded guilty to 33 offences committed against Ms West and other children in the 1970s and 1980s, and was jailed for 15 years.

Mr West is now serving as “the face and voice” of Warriors Advocacy, which provides assistance to survivors of institutional abuse.

She said a register, though controversial with civil libertarians, was “an absolute necessity” – and it “beggared belief” the state government had yet to act.

Ms West says a register would have stopped her abuser, Peter White, from assaulting her – because she was not his first victim. Picture: Richard Dobson

“(We hear) a whole lot of promises to get the party into government, then we see those promises fall by the wayside,” she said.

“Where those fallen promises bite is here we are talking about the wellbeing of children – our next generation of leaders, our most vulnerable, our most precious citizens.

“We are letting them down … for victims and survivors, like myself, that just emphasises the point that those who have the power to legislate simply aren’t doing it.”

She said a register would serve three important functions – first, it would empower victims “to come forward” and disclose their abuse.

“A register will make them feel they will be heard, that their case is substantial, and will be taken seriously by law enforcement, government and the judiciary,” she said.

Secondly, she said, potential offenders would be deterred by the possibility of being forever known, named and shamed for committing such a crime.

“If a register existed, that in itself is a deterrent – and you need deterrence to disrupt access (to children),” she said.

Finally, it would enable schools, volunteer organisations and members of the public to conduct background checks before exposing children in their care to possible predators.

Ms West said a register that enabled individuals to apply for information, and receive a formal response, would “mitigate concerns of vigilantism” raised by critics of the concept.

She said concerns about offenders’ civil liberties were outweighed by the impact of their crimes.

Mr Carpenter says fears of vigilantism, as a result of a register, are “not justified” by research into child abuse. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

“The moment you lay hands on a child, you have given up your rights … you’ve breached the most fundamental terms of what being part of a civil society is all about.

“You have hurt a child – there is absolutely no excuse for that.”

Mr Carpenter said fears of vigilante action arising from a register were “not justified”.

“Research shows 93 per cent of offenders are known to their victim survivors and 80 per cent of all sexual abuse is incestual,” he said.

“Despite this, it is most uncommon for survivors or people known to them to harm the offender.

“Child sex abuse is not something that authorities can arrest out of therefore other methods need to be implemented to deter offenders.

“The effective management of sexual offenders in the community is something that is required to deter offending.”

The government spokeswoman said a “suite of reforms cracking down on sex offenders” had already been enacted, including increased penalties for those convicted of crimes.

“Legislation to indefinitely detain serious repeat child sex offenders, the toughest of its kind in the country, are likely to pass parliament this year,” she said.

If you or someone you know requires assistance with disclosing childhood sexual abuse, email [e-mail]